Monday, December 19, 2011

TOP 5 of 2011

Well it is the end of another year. Wow that went fast! I seem to find myself with less and less time to do ANYTHING including (unfortunately) seeking out new music. 
So, I sent out an email last week to a few friends asking for help (a list of their "Top 5 albums" of 2011) Below is what they sent me back. There is some great stuff listed here. Hopefully you will find the time to check it out and please BUY MUSIC to help keep the artist alive.
Happy New Year-
Kerry


Greg Dulli - Musician 




The Rapture  In The Grace of Your Love
Vetiver  The Errant Charm
The Antlers  Burst Apart
Trombone Shorty  For True
Gillian Welch  The Harrow and the Harvest

Metronomy  The English Riviera
David Lynch  Crazy Clown Time
A Winged Victory For The Sullen (Self Titled)
Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys  Grand Isle

M83.  Hurry Up, We're Dreaming


1: The Roots Undun
2: Chelsea Wolfe Ἀποκάλυψις (Apokalypsis)
3: Immortal Technique The Martyr
4: Krallice Diotima
5: Cults Cults

David J - Musician/Writer/Director
Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, Jazz Butcher


Timber Timbre  Keep On Creepin' On 
Chrysta Bell  This Train 
Cass McCombs  Wits End 
Cat's Eyes  Cat's Eyes
The Antlers  Burst Apart 
David Lynch  Crazy Clown Time
Bill Callahan  Apocalypse 
Tom Waits  Bad As Me 
Bon Iver  Bon Iver 
Gillian Welch  The Harrow and the Harvest


Ian Rogers - CEO Topspin Media
Ian was the GM of Yahoo Music before heading to Topspin Media in April 2008 as CEO. Previously, Ian co-founded personal music sharing software provider Mediacode with Rob Lord. Mediacode was sold to Yahoo.  Ian worked for AOL’s Nullsoft unit. Prior to founding Mediacode, Ian worked as one of the principals at Grand Royal with the Beastie Boys. Ian has also been called the “fourth Beastie Boy” due to his relationship with the Beastie Boys.



Girls  Father Son Holy Ghost
James Blake   James Blake
Kurt Vile   Smoke Ring For My Halo
EMA   Past Life Martyred Saints
Kanye and Jay-Z   Watch The Throne


Patty Schemel - Musician/Teacher
HoleJuliette and the Licks, Imperial Teen



1. Belle Brigade   (Self Titled)
2. Dum Dum Girls   Only In Dreams 
3. M83 Hurry  Up We're Dreaming
4. The Weeknd   House of Balloons
5.  GroupLove   Never Trust A Happy Song 




Stacey Sher - Film Producer
Erin Brockovich, Contagion, Django Unchained




Album :The incomparable Greg Dulli makes another rich and infectious Twilight Singers record with Dynamite Steps the only  new album this year I find myself listening to over and over again...or as my daughter Maggie said Mom, can you play track 7, to which my son Tyler answers, and track 8...so, in their honor (and good taste) 
She Was Stolen
Blackbird And The Fox

Movies:  It would be too self serving to choose my film Contagion (though I do rate it one of the years very best as did Mahnola Dargis of the NY Times!) 
I found myself really enjoying 3 films about art, nostalgia and the fear of being past your artistic prime as the times are changing... so in no order other than alphabetical enjoy these three charming  explorations of the trials and tribulations of the life of an artist…all of them transport you into another  world the same way a great record does. 
The Artist
Hugo
Midnight in Paris


Books:
Ok so one of these books came out last year but it continues with my theme of being transported and it is by a musician…
Just Kids by Patti Smith-
Wildly lauded and winner of the national book award, I think that it captures what it is like to be young and desirous of creating art as well and as palpably as anything ever has...


I also devoured -
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
I could not put this book down, even  though I felt like a whole spiritual level was missing in this bestseller about the life of the amazing inventor and innovator who changed our world. You have to love a person who thought people should go live on an ashram, listen to more rock and roll and drop acid if you want to make better products and a better world!  

Happy 2012!



@Studiodog (Kerry Brown) - Music Producer/ Starry Records




David Lynch  Crazy Clown Time
Tom Waits  Bad As Me
Twilight Singers   Dynamite Steps
David J   Not Long For This World
Damien Youth   Sunfield (reissued)


Ysanne Spevack - Musician
Ysanne string arrangements for rock music, film and TV scores are widely acclaimed. Her strings grace a wide musical terrain spanning filmscores, rock, pop and electronic music. Clients include Smashing PumpkinsDavid J (Bauhaus / Love & Rockets)Christina PerriElton JohnBrett Anderson (Suede)TiestoDub Gabriel feat. Michael StipeSister Bliss (Faithless)Asian Dub FoundationJesus and the Mary ChainMark Schulz (Public Image Limited)Imaad WasifChocolate GeniusAlex ParksT-PowerMJ ColeHBO’s Big Love, and The Sopranos title track composers, Alabama 3



David J   Not Long For This World
PJ Harvey Let England Shake
The Horrors Skying
TV On The Radio Nine Types Of Light
Gillian Welch  The Harrow and the Harvest
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Shadow on the Run (not yet released)




Damien Youth - Musician/Artist






The Clientele  Minotaur
The Black Keys  El Camino
David J  Not Long For This World
Tom Waits  Bad As Me
Black Lips  Arabia Mountain





What is your "Top 5" of 2011? Please leave it in the comments section.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Awesome News From ATP Website


I'll Be Your Mirror London - Afghan Whigs confirmed
All Tomorrow's Parties Confirm Reformation Of
THE AFGHAN WHIGS + Many More New Additions For 
I'll Be Your Mirror, 25th-27th May 2012 At London's Alexandra Palace

THE AFGHAN WHIGS Also Set To Headline 

I'll Be Your Mirror USA 2012 In Asbury Park, New Jersey 
On September 22nd
Tickets To Go On Sale Early January 2012
On the weekend of the 25th-27th May 2012 at Alexandra Palace, London, All Tomorrow's Parties present the second UK I'll Be Your Mirror event. Tickets are on sale now via this link. Sunday headliners Guided By Voices have cancelled due to personal reasons (more info below) - today ATP announce a very special replacement headliner as well as more line-up additions...
The Afgha Whigs


On Sunday 27th May 2012 Alexandra Palace will host the first show in 13 years from Cincinnati's rock legends THE AFGHAN WHIGS. Formed in 1986, the bands career from then until 2001 saw them release six acclaimed albums highlighted by the classic Gentlemen LP in 1993. Fusing classic rock with grunge-era distortion and a heavy soul influence, Afghan Whigs were one of the most renowned live bands of their time and this long awaited reformation will no doubt be a very special event.
I'll Be Your Mirror New Jersey - Afghan Whigs confirmed

ATP are also pleased to confirm their return to Asbury Park, New Jersey USA where they will follow last year's debut in that city with a 2012 I'll Be Your Mirror event, the Saturday night of which will be headlined by The Afghan Whigs and curated by the Whigs' frontman Greg Dulli. Tickets & accommodation for the three day event running September 21st-23rd will go on sale in early January 2012 when the start of the fantastic line-up will also be announced - fans can sign up now to receive info about a pre-sale via this link.
We also have other confirmations for all three days of the London festival. The event starts on Friday 25th May when the incomparable SLAYER will present their undisputed classic Reign In Blood live in it's entirety during their headline set to celebrate it's 25th anniversary. They're joined by the previously announced SLEEP and MELVINS, and today we can add black metal heroes WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM and a rare performance from Oregon doom metal group YOB.
On Saturday 26th May, the first ever ATP festival curators MOGWAI will return to headline, and to curate the rest of the day's line-up - this will be their only show in England in 2012. Alongside their first choices MUDHONEY and reformed slow-core heroes CODEINE we are now very happy to add one of the greatest live bands on the planetDIRTY THREE who will return in 2012 to release a new album. Also returning for their first UK date since reforming last year are cult alt rock band CHAVEZ (feat. Matt Sweeney) and we can also a rare show from FLOOR (feat. members of Torche) and much talked about newcomer BALAM ACAB.

On Sunday 27th May, as well as our new headliners THE AFGHAN WHIGS, we can also add much loved and recently reformed American indie-rock group ARCHERS OF LOAF, San Francisco live wonders THEE OH SEES, and ATP will also be presenting the cream of new musical talent with shows from the wonderful DEMDIKE STARE, and Canadian psych-folk group SISKIYOU. As previously announced YUCK will also perform on Sunday, with much more to be confirmed.

Here is the current run-down of the line-up with far more to be confirmed, see below for more details on the event...
Friday 25th May - curated by ATP

SLAYER performing Reign In Blood
SLEEP
MELVINS
WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM
YOB
+ more tbc

Saturday 26th May - curated by Mogwai


MOGWAI
DIRTY THREE
CODEINE
MUDHONEY
CHAVEZ
FLOOR
BALAM ACAB
+ more tbc

Sunday 27th May - curated by ATP

THE AFGHAN WHIGS
ARCHERS OF LOAF
THEE OH SEES
YUCK
DEMDIKE STARE
SISKIYOU
+ more tbc



Guided By Voices Cancellation:
 We're very sad to announce the disappointing news that Guided By Voices will no longer play on the Sunday of the event due to personal reasons and have cancelled all 2012 live appearances. The band apologizes for any inconvenience and disappointment, and thanks the fans for their longterm support. Those of you who bought Sunday Day tickets for this event are invited to claim a refund if you no longer want to attend. Please contact your ticket agency before the end of January to do so. Once again we're very sorry to be the bearers of this bad news and sorry to those of you who it has inconvenienced.


Acting as sister events to the world famous ATP Festivals which usually take place in holiday resorts, and named after the b-side to The Velvet Underground's original All Tomorrow's Parties 7" single, I'll Be Your Mirror is a series of artist curated music, film and art events taking place in cities worldwide. Last year's debut London event was curated by Portishead & ATP, featured amazing performances from acts including PJ Harvey, Grinderman, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Company Flow, and was widely acclaimed:
"As an attempt to recolonise the space with the spirit of rock and roll, the inaugural "I'll Be Your Mirror" festival can be considered a resounding success." - Sunday Telegraph

"I'll Be Your Mirror was a pure triumph." - Stool Pigeon

"Like a cooler Meltdown festival." - Evening Standard

"The UK festival season may be sated but there is room for a new addition as rich as this." - The Guardian
The Great Hall of Alexandra Palace has played host to a history of special acts and events - Led Zeppelin in 1972, New Order, the Stone Roses, The White Stripes, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, The Pixies, the Grateful Dead and the epic 1967 kaleidoscopic rave ‘The Technicolour Dream’ which featured Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things & The Move, and now it’s the turn of I’ll Be Your Mirror to be added to the venue’s list of historical moments, in what promises to be an unparalleled weekend of the best music, art and film in the Capital.

Friday-Sunday Weekend Tickets cost £130. Friday Day Tickets are priced at £39. Saturday and Sunday Day Tickets are priced at £59.

Many stunning artists, DJs and other activities are to be confirmed for the event in the coming months! Across the weekend ATP are bringing to the venue a cinema, food vendors, adding extra bars (including some cash bars) and toilets and also putting on shuttle buses from Wood Green (the closest tube station) to the venue and back. Friday runs from 4pm-11pm. On Saturday and Sunday doors will open at midday, with the event finishing at 1am. Headliners will finish by 11pm both nights. For a constant stream of music, interviews, videos and more from artists playing the event, make sure to follow the I'll Be Your Mirror London 2012 Tumblr blog!


For any I'll Be Your Mirror (London) press or event enquiries please contact: 
press@atpfestival.com
ATP History:

"Perfect 10...indisputably the defining symbol of alternative sonic culture in the UK." - The Independent

All Tomorrow's Parties has been promoting festivals and concerts throughout the world for the last ten years. It was founded in the wake of Belle and Sebastian’s Bowlie Weekender, with Mogwai curating in the unusual setting of Pontins Holiday Camp, Camber Sands. Since then the festival has appeared every year and has expanded across the globe continuing to set itself apart from large scale corporate festivals by staying intimate and fan-friendly. The line-ups are chosen by significant bands or artists which results in eclectic events that combine performances by legendary and influential acts with appearances by the latest crop of experimental artists from any (and every) musical genre. The festival has become more successful with every passing year, and ATP events have taken place in the UK, USA, Europe and Australia, with past curators including Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Mike Patton, My Bloody Valentine, Portishead, Sonic Youth, Sl int, and Tortoise. In 2011 ATP launched a new series of curated city-based events called I'll Be Your Mirror, starting in Tokyo in February, London in July and Asbury Park, New Jersey in September.

For ten years ATP has set itself apart from other festivals by embracing seemingly disparate artistic genres, with events featuring art exhibitions, cinema programmes, spoken word performances and stand up comedy. It's been called 'Unforgettable' by Spin and 'the most enjoyable festival experience of our reporter's life' by Pitchfork. It has spawned an acclaimed concert series (Don't Look Back), a record label (ATP Recordings), and the release of a feature length documentary about the festivals from Warp X, titled All Tomorrow’s Parties, out now on DVD. For more information and the trailer visit www.ourtrueintent.com

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

David J "Not Long For This World"

New David J Album

Order David J's Not Long For This World on Limited CD and Double-LP HERE!

David J releases his new album Not Long For This World


David J, the legendary bassist of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets, is offering up his first solo album in 8 years! Entitled Not Long For This World, David's new album is a rich and elaborate gothic cabaret. The album surrounds the theme of death, and is a beautiful and poetic journey that David has put together over many years. The songs contained were not originally intended to be an album until David pulled back and saw the singular thread throughout, which would lead to this macabre collection. After seeing the vision of what the album could be, David put together a group of spectacular musicians and friends, including Ysanne Spevack, Shok, Tony Green, Susan Costantini Green, Paul Wallfisch, Ego Plum, and more. This is one of David's finest works of his career, and Starry Records, in partnership with Saint Rose Records, could not be more pleased to present this to you.

The Starry/St. Rose partnership is offering a plethora of items to celebrate the release of David J's new album, including limited pressings of the album both on CD and double gatefold LP (which will feature a bonus track). We will also be offering a new shirt with original artwork not featured in the album. We are also offering an exclusive bundle with the shirt, the double-LP, and a limited postcard and poster. And there is also an SUPER LIMITED exclusive as well...



Starry Records and Saint Rose records will each be selling limited pieces of original art hand-made by David J to commemorate individual tracks of the album. Each label will only have 5 of these each, and it will be a surprise which one you get when you order. They are 9"x12" in size. You can view them HERE, and you can preorder them HERE!



...New transmissions from outerspace...




New Fancy Space People T-shirt designs!

Hot off the heels of their recent tour directly supporting the Smashing Pumpkins, we've got two new T-shirt designs from Fancy Space People! The first features the "Shrine" cover design to their debut EP. The second is a special collage designed by the lovely and talented lead singer of Fancy Space People, No-Ra. These shirts were printed specifically on softer Gildan brand shirts. You can pick up the two brand new Fancy Space People shirts HERE!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Smashing Pumpkins Studio Update

Sept 14th/2011

I'm happy to report that the Oceania album is less than a week away from being fully completed. This has been a very long journey, arduous yet pleasant, and I'm very pleased with where we ended up on all fronts; musically, spiritually, personally. Making this record has been a real team effort, with not just the band putting in heavy contributions but also participation and advice from Kerry Brown, Kevin Dippold, Bjorn Thorsrud and many other people here that keep the old machines up and running. Some of these song ideas date back to those first demos from 2009 in California with Mark Tulin, but the bulk of this album was written in Sedona in the first few months of 2011. Sedona is a special place, particularly for self-reflection and healing, and is recommended for anyone who might be seeking a little bit more perspective on what matters most in life. 

Rock and roll, despite my many protestations, is very important to me. Music has given me a wonderful opportunity in life, and I've tried to repay that debt in gratitude by working hard to honor what I see as a magical vocation. I'm blessed to be in this band right now with Nicole, Mike, and Jeff. When you hear the finished record you'll hear the love we put into this. Carrying on the legacy of The Smashing Pumpkins is not always an enviable task for all involved, but it is a grand, monstrous idea- a crazy 'why?' that I helped to foster and still battle with when I get lost. The current band members have helped me, through their patience and love of what The Smashing Pumpkins mean to them personally, and their friendship and loyalty to me, to find a deeper appreciation for what is still possibly under the old moniker. We are determined to have a future, or have nothing at all. As it should be. 

Glad to see the launch of the Smashing Pumpkins Record Club (SPRC) finally come to fruition. It is a labor of love to try to organize all of these tapes, digging to find lost performances. There is mostly good news; for example we were finally able to locate the master mixes of Drown after months of seeking, being told repeatedly they could not be found. Thankfully, a person from the old label at EMI took it upon themselves to look one more time in their archives and found it, on a single DAT tape. 6 mixes of all, the 6th being an alternative ending to the song with a completely different guitar solo. 

On the confusing side, it appears that the original tape that had a vocal demo version of both 'today' and 'tulips' might be lost forever. These versions are floating around, so it's frustrating to think either the tape is falsely labeled, lost, or misplaced. Thankfully we have other sources. 

This is an exciting time for the world of SP: a new album, preparations for an American tour and a European tour, and the release this year of a newly mastered Gish and Siamese Dream from the original tapes with a disc of extras for each, as well as a dvd of live concert footage. I think over the next 3 years there will be approximately 17-20 albums worth of music released and re-issued, and that is if you don't count additional side releases we want to do of say a board tape of the band from 1992. Those types of items would be more limited edition offerings I'm guessing, which is why you want to be a member of the SPRC, because all members will be given an opportunity to say they want a limited edition piece before we decide the final number. 

There is a lot more free music to come as well. We are happy to share stuff with you that provides little windows into the work process, so that like us you can catch those little moments of sunshine that added up to some pretty good music. 

Lastly, I'm about 2/3rds of the way through my first draft of my spiritual memoir, 'God is Everywhere From Here to There'. I hope to finish the book by the spring of 2012, and it should come out by the end of next year. It is a lot more in depth than I would have originally guessed when I started, particularly about my musical life. Who knew their was so much drama to be rediscovered and uncovered? 


Blessings, WPC

Monday, August 22, 2011

Billy Corgan's Mission Statement on Resistance Pro


Why do you want to be involved with resistance pro?

I grew up a fan of professional wrestling during the glory years of the AWA, and I really enjoyed watching many of the men who are now legends display the incredible talent and ability that made them household names. So in that way I am old school; in that if a wrestler has the almost undefinable 'it' factor that makes them a star, fans will follow them forever, because they invest emotionally in the person behind the gimmick. When I got fully into being a professional musician in my late teens, I stopped watching wrestling until I was drawn back by the Attitude Era, and my personal connection to ECW. I've gotten to know and befriend some of the greatest minds in the wrestling business, and I've learned a lot about the incredible sacrifices that everyone makes to entertain the fans. The opportunity to be a part of a different kind of independent company in Resistance Pro was just too good for me to pass up. 

What will your role be as creative director?

My job in Resistance Pro, if you can call it that, is to write the angles and set the tone for the future vision of the company. I believe I bring to the table a unique set of experiences from the music business that translate to how to engage a fan's deeper interest, whether it be in the ring or hopefully one day on television. I want Resistance Pro to embrace what's great about the traditional values in the wrestling business, that can at the end of the day provide everyone involved with the a great opportunity for success, while not being shy about being at the forefront of where professional wrestling is headed into the 21st century. Whether it be in-ring style, new ways to run shows, or using technology and social media to create a fresh dynamic with fans, we will chase down what works best long term. 


How will this promotion be different then the others?

We have two clearly stated goals: one is the we want our young talent to get hired and to succeed at the highest levels in the business. We want to see young stars dreams come true. There will be no holding anyone back. Secondly, we want to encourage a safer in-ring product that balances incredible athleticism with storytelling. That doesn't mean that there won't be appropriate times for a drag down and out dirty brawl. But in my opinion it is time that the long term health of the wrestlers themselves is placed as a stated top priority, and it will be in our company. Our company will be a strong mix of veterans and young talent, because we want to make sure that the best traditions of the business are passed on. It should also be noted that we want a top-notch women's division, because there are some incredibly talented women out there who can, and will draw. 


What should the fans expect from you?

Hopefully for fans, I won't go into business for myself! My plan is to stay out of the ring and spend my energy working behind the scenes to make us a company to watch in the coming years. I'm excited to invest in a business I have passion for, because I understand as well as anyone what it takes to succeed. My real desire is to help other's succeed like I was given the opportunity to in music. I'm more than happy to talk about the company, and draw attention to it if it helps everyone else get over.  

Friday, August 12, 2011

Smashing Pumpkins - The Other Side of the Kaleidyscope




THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
ANNOUNCE 12-CITY U.S. FALL TOUR
LAUNCHING OCTOBER 5 IN LOS ANGELES AND WRAPPING OCTOBER 22 IN PHILADELPHIA

SHOWS TO INCLUDE MATERIAL FROM THE BAND’S UPCOMING ALBUM ‘OCEANIA,’
DUE IN EARLY 2012


THE SMASHING PUMPKINS--singer/guitarist BILLY CORGAN, guitarist JEFF SCHROEDER, drummer MIKE BYRNE and bassist NICOLE FIORENTINO--will return to the road this fall for an intimate 12-city U.S. tour that will serve as a warm-up to a big year of touring for the band in 2012.  The fall trek launches in Los Angeles on October 5 at the Wiltern Theatre and wraps in Philadelphia on October 22 at the Tower Theatre.

Mixing classics, deep cuts and a few songs from the upcoming album OCEANIA--now due out in early 2012 (exact date TBA)--the tour encompasses dates in the band’s Chicago hometown (October 14, venue TBA) and New York City (October 18, Terminal 5). Tickets for the concerts—which follow the band’s 2010 critically acclaimed shows (see pull quotes below)—will go on sale shortly (see on sale info below). At all the shows, the Pumpkins will be joined by two support acts: Fancy Space People (featuring Don Bolles, who credits include the Germs, Celebrity Skin and 45 Grave) and Light FM, the band Nicole Fiorentino was in before joining the Pumpkins (see bio info below).

The Pumpkins are now hard at work putting the finishing touches on OCEANIA, which will mark their first full album since 2007’s Zeitgeist.  OCEANIA is “an album within an album,” part of their in-progress 44-song work TEARGARDEN BY KALEIDYSCOPE. Featuring 13 new songs, OCEANIA will be released in early 2012.

Also this fall, EMI Music will honor the legacy of THE SMASHING PUMPKINS with an extensive campaign that will see the iconic band’s albums from 1991-2000 reissued in fully remastered deluxe versions, each with bonus material.

With the full support and guidance from THE SMASHING PUMPKINS--who’ve created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history, selling over 30 million albums--EMI will roll out the global catalog campaign with the band’s 1991 debut album GISH and 1993’s SIAMESE DREAM, both of which are due in stores November 15.  

The excitement will continue into 2012 when EMI will reissue the 1994 compilation album PISCES ISCARIOT, 1995’s nine-times-platinum double album MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS, 1996’s five-disc box set THE AEROPLANE FLIES HIGH and 1998’s ADORE

In 2013, their 2000 albums MACHINA/THE MACHINES OF GOD and MACHINA II: THE FRIENDS & ENEMIES OF MODERN MUSIC will be unified into one package.  A best-of compilation will also be released in 2013. The pivotal group’s many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation.

DATE

CITY / STATE
VENUE
ON-SALE
WED
10/5
Los Angeles, CA
Wiltern Theatre
 10am, Friday 8/19
FRI
10/7
Oakland, CA
The Fox Theatre
10am, Sunday  8/21
SAT
10/8
Las Vegas, NV
Cosmopolitan
10am, Friday 8/19
MON
10/10
Denver, CO
Ogden Theatre
10am, Saturday   8/20
THU
10/13
Milwaukee, WI
Riverside Theatre
12pm, Friday  8/19
FRI
10/14
Chicago, IL
Venue TBA
10am, Saturday 8/27
SAT
10/15
Detroit, MI
The Fillmore
10am, Friday 8/19
MON
10/17
Washington, DC
930 Club
10am, Friday 8/19
TUE
10/18
New York, NY
Terminal 5
10am, Friday  8/19
WED
10/19
Providence, RI
Lupo's
12pm, Thursday 8/18
FRI
10/21
Boston, MA
Orpheum Theatre
10am, Friday  8/19
SAT
10/22
Philadelphia, PA
Tower Theatre
10am, Friday  8/19




Here are pull quotes from the band’s 2010 dates:

"Some of Mr. Corgan’s 21st-century songs, like the new ‘Freak,’ aim their rage at sociopolitical targets; many of them revolve around blunter, simpler riffs than his 1990’s songs…Yet by and large, Smashing Pumpkins are what they were: Mr. Corgan’s platform for tormented thoughts and invincible guitar. While his nasal voice and the magnified self-loathing of his lyrics allied him with grunge, Smashing Pumpkins were always on the rhapsodic, psychedelic end of the grunge spectrum. Now, it’s clearer than ever that Mr. Corgan made himself a latter-day guitar hero in full late-1960’s and early-1970’s style: with aerobatic upper-register leads, bulldozing low riffs, pealing echoes and outbursts of feedback....The new Smashing Pumpkins share Mr. Corgan’s sense of dynamics. The patient tension and release of their instrumental passages came from a pre-punk mindset, and there were extended stretches of free-form jamming in ‘United States’ and in ‘Gossamer,’ the 19-minute, metamorphic final encore."

--- Jon Pareles, THE NEW YORK TIMES, July 27, 2010


"...exhilarating performance....The frontman and guitarist Jeff Schroeder…engaged in dueling pyrotechnics on ‘Ava Adore’ and the new ‘Song for a Son.’ New bassist Nicole Fiorentino's thick lines stood out in ‘Ava Adore’ and the intro to the metal marvel ‘United States.’ And Jimmy Chamberlin's replacement on drums, wunderkind Mike Byrne, was nothing short of wild child all evening....He wedged the line ‘Oh, California, look what you've done to me’ into ‘Owata’; he seemed to delight in the unholy crunch of ‘Cherub Rock’; and he put more blood in the opening line of ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ than three vampire movies combined. The new material — the Pumpkins played three of the four songs on the new EP, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor — fit in seamlessly with the old..."

-- Kevin Bronson, SPIN.COM (Los Angeles), July 1, 2010

"Opening with the new 'Astral Planes,' the Pumpkins' new lineup showed it may be the best since the original version in the '90s made the band icons of the alternative scene. The musical interaction between the four was excellent, breathing new energy into songs like 'Ava Adore,' 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' and a ferocious 'United States,' as well as a crunching 'Cherub Rock' that had the Viper Room insane. But just as importantly, Corgan seemed to be having a great time with his new band, proving downright amiable at times."

---Steve Baltin, AOL SPINNER (Los Angeles), July 1, 2010


“On songs like ‘A Song for a Son,’ another newbie, he engaged in guitar heroics that would impress Queen's Brian May, showing his classic rock chops on the tune's epic closing....’Today,’ ‘Cherub Rock,’ and ‘Hummer,’ all gems from SP's 1993 breakout second album Siamese Dream, saw the Chicago native manhandle the neck of his Fender Strat (at 6'4" dude has some big hands), pausing to motion at the sold-out crowd before diving into another solo....Pop-rock hit ‘Perfect,’ from SP's electronica-tinged 1998 release Adore, rocked hard and loud yet was equally melodic and beautiful, and on ‘Bullet with Butterfly Wings’ Corgan ended a short pause for a sing-along with a piercing shriek and guitar blitzkrieg that knocked heads backwards....’Freak,’ another Teargarden track, was a union of pop-rock sensibility with heavy, distorted bass lines and lyrics that show Corgan can still be the romantic mouthpiece for disenfranchised youths. If ‘Freak’ was an indication, Pumpkins fans have something to look forward to."

--- William Goodman, SPIN.COM, July 27, 2010


"...one of the most potent concerts of the summer so far...showed off how Corgan knows what made him and his band so big in the first place."

--- Dan Aquilante, NEW YORK POST,  July 28, 2010

"...transcendent performance....Billy Corgan once again proved his legendary status with fleet-fingered guitar virtuosity, poetically jarring lyrics and unique delivery. The Pumpkins commenced the set with ‘The Fellowship’ from Teargarden By Kaleidyscope. The song fused psychedelic riffs to swirling vocals, and Corgan sounded rousingly clear over tight strains of delay. Guitarist Jeff Schroeder complemented the frontman's fretwork with succinct and solid axe-slinging, nailing each and every sustained note. ‘The Fellowship’ bled right into ‘Today,’ and The Pumpkins infused the classic with an elegant heaviness that was both pristine and powerful....the band left the stage completely and utterly triumphant."

--Rick Florino, ARTISTDIRECT.COM, December 13, 2010


“They played a beautiful, unrecorded ballad called ‘Spangled.’ They closed with ‘Freak,’ another new song, the best song Corgan's written in a decade.”

--- Jonathan Zwickel, SEATTLE TIMES, September 12, 2010.

“The capacity crowd was clearly in the mood for a celebration, and Corgan and company delivered with a loud, boisterous, colorful show.”

--- Gene Stout, SEATTLEPI.COM/GENESTOUT.COM, September 12, 2010

"Billy Corgan still has vigor and vision to continue the band’s continued progression into the second decade of the 21st century.... performed a tight two-hour set that was the perfect balance of 1990s classics, Zeitgeist material, and new songs…and Corgan was appreciative of the crowd’s willingness to hear the new material."

 -- David Burger, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, September 17, 2010

“They'd opened with ‘The Fellowship’ from Teargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare, setting the tone for the concert with a chorus that demanded, ‘Are you with us or against us tonight?’ And then, after giving nostalgia its due with a raucous performance of ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings,’ it was back to more recent material with the intense garage-rock swagger of ‘Tarantula’ from 2007's ‘Zeitgeist’ album and two psychedelic treasures from Teargarden--‘My Love is Winter,’ which featured a dual guitar lead with second guitarist Jeff Schroeder after each guitarist took his own lead, and the Zeppelin-does-Donovan ballad, ‘A Song for a Son.’ By the time he sang ‘I used to be a little boy’ on Disarm, he'd made his way through several other recent songs, from the punkish abandon of ‘As Rome Burns’ to ‘Spangled’ (which featured a finger-picked guitar part that echoed the Beatles' later work), the upbeat '60s pop of ‘Tom Tom’ and ‘United States’ (again, from Zeitgeist)....The new kids definitely earned their keep, with 20-year-old drummer Mike Byrne attacking the kit with authority and a thundering approach that said his favorite drummer was John Bonham long before they'd made their way around to covering Led Zeppelin's ‘Moby Dick’ (although everyone leaving the stage so he could do a proper solo may have been a bit much). And Nicole Fiorentino brought a heavy bass groove to such raucous highlights as ‘United States’ and ‘Freak.’”

--Ed Masley, ARIZONA REPUBLIC, December 9, 2010



For more information, please contact:

For THE SMASHING PUMPKINS:
Mitch Schneider:                         mschneider@msopr.com
Todd Brodginski:                        toddb@msopr.com
Alexandra Greenberg:             agreenberg@msopr.com

MSO: 818-380-0400

About THE SMASHING PUMPKINS:
The Smashing Pumpkins have created one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in musical history and sold over 30 million albums.  Formed in Chicago in 1988, they released Gish, their influential (and platinum) debut in 1991, which was followed by more platinum and multi-platinum albums including the nine-time platinum Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and the four-time platinum Siamese Dream as well as the platinum certified 1998 album Adore.   The pivotal group’s many hits defined the alternative music era and continue to resonate on modern rock radio, influencing a whole new generation.   The Pumpkins returned in 2007 with their gold-certified and acclaimed sixth album Zeitgeist, which entered the charts at Number 2 in the U.S. and in the Top Ten internationally.    Since their triumphant return to the stage in 2007, the Pumpkins have headlined some of the biggest events around the globe including the Reading Festival, Rock Am Ring, and the V fest.  In 2008, the band was inducted into Hollywood’s RockWalk. Their first post-major label release was the song “Superchrist,” issued via the Guitar Center CD Fresh Cuts Vol. 2.  They subsequently recorded the song--the modern rock hit--“G.L.O.W.” for the Guitar Hero® World Tour game, marking the first time a band has recorded a new song exclusively for the franchise. In November 2008, the band released their first live DVD, If All Goes Wrong.  In December 2009 The group’s BILLY CORGAN has said the band’s new music “harkens back to the original psychedelic roots of The Smashing Pumpkins; atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty.” 


About FANCY SPACE PEOPLE




Fancy Space People began with the unlikely partnering of quirky solo chanteuse No-Ra Keyes, formerly of the Centimeters, and Don Bolles, drummer of legendary punk icons the Germs. Fancy Space People's songs range from moody Mellotron space hymns to glitter rock stompers, featuring elements of psychedelic prog, 60’s girl group, and 70’s Krautrock, together reminding one of T. Rex, Bowie, Abba, Sparks, and even Amon Duul II. The group has already shared the stage with a variety of acts, ranging from 70's glam rockers The Sweet to eccentric indie singer/song-writer Ariel Pink. Already they have attracted such enthusiastic collaborators as Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, Mars Williams from the Psychedelic Furs, and Belgian Synth Witch Shazzula Nebula. Their eponymous debut vinyl EP was mixed and recorded by Kerry Brown (Smashing Pumpkins, Kelley Deal, The Frogs) & Kevin Dippold (Smashing Pumpkins.) Their eponymous debut 12" EP is available now through Starry Records. Order the new 12" EP from Starry Records. "Fancy Space People is the musical version of unprotected sex while on ecstasy--a little bit scary but it just feels so POSITIVE,” wrote  Drew Denny in the LA Weekly, 6/27/11.

About LIGHT FM:

Los Angeles-based newgaze band Light FM is singer/guitarist Josiah Mazzaschi, drummer Jimmy Lucido, bassist Nicki Nevlin, and keyboardist/singer Savannah Wheeler. The band has built a strong reputation in the LA area through their live performances, which featured residencies at hot spots Silverlake Lounge and Spaceland, and they are gearing up for a highly anticipated tour this fall with the Smashing Pumpkins. The tour will also coincide with the release of their new album, Buzz Kill City, which they will be self-releasing through their own Moonboot Records. The band gained attention via their critically acclaimed album Let There Be Light FM. Their music has been featured in TV programs such as the MTV Movie and Music Awards, Jersey Shore, and they will be featured in the upcoming movie soundtrack The Vow, featuring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum.

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